Moving to Ireland from Malawi

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Malawi to Ireland — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Malawi to Ireland. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Dublin averages 56°F vs 75°F in Lilongwe, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Malawi to Ireland, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
85 ↑ 12% vs 2015

people born in Malawi live in Ireland · UN DESA

Who's moving to Ireland?

Top countries of origin for Ireland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Malawi and Ireland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

MW
1.8
IE
0.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MW
20.2
IE
2.8

Ireland performs significantly better than Malawi across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

MW
$125
IE
$8,772
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MW
0.5
IE
40.6

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MW
43.0
IE
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MW
0.2t
IE
6.0t

Malawi generally does better on environment, though Ireland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MW
0.1
IE
32.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MW
17.5%
IE
22.2%

Ireland generally does better on infrastructure, though Malawi leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MW
5.0%
IE
4.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MW
$1,700
IE
$115,600

Ireland generally does better on employment & economy, though Malawi leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MW
72.4 yrs
IE
81.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MW
33.4
IE
3.5

Ireland performs significantly better than Malawi across all family life metrics.

Data: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lilongwe Rain: 50.7 in/yr (1289 mm)
75° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Dublin Rain: 29.8 in/yr (758 mm)
56° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lilongwe Dublin
Jan–Mar 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) 49°/37°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 59°/44°F (15°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) 66°/52°F (19°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) 51°/41°F (11°/5°C)
View all months
Month Lilongwe Dublin
Jan 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C)
Feb 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C)
Mar 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C)
Apr 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C)
May 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C)
Jun 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C)
Jul 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C)
Aug 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C)
Oct 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C)
Nov 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C)
Dec 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C)

Data: Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malawi and Ireland. To live, work, or study long-term in Ireland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ireland's immigration authority.

Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Required
Malawi passport holders need a visa to enter Ireland.
Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Ireland passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Malawi.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Ireland?

With 32.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ireland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Malawi and Ireland.

Is Ireland safe for expats?

Ireland performs significantly better than Malawi across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Malawi.

How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Malawi?

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 40.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 0.5 in Malawi. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).

What's the weather like in Ireland compared to Malawi?

The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 in.

What language do they speak in Ireland?

The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.

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At a Glance

MW IE
Population 20,794,353 5,275,004
Currency Malawian Kwacha (MWK) Euro (€)
Languages Chewa, English English, Irish
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +265 +353
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112